3M fined for air-quality violation at Cottage Grove facility

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State officials earlier this year fined 3M’s Cottage Grove operation for air-quality violations.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency announced recently that 3M-Cottage Grove’s abrasive systems division was issued a $4,000 penalty in January for air-quality violations. The company had reported the violation and it paid the fine in January, according to MPCA records.

The violation stemmed from testing conducted in July 2011. 3M tested the level of emitted particulate matter from the smoke stack of a batch oven used to make hard abrasive material, said Bob Beresford, the MPCA’s air compliance unit supervisor.

The company submitted the test report to the MCPA last August, but after further review of the test results found that the amount of particulate matter emitted was twice the regulated limit, according to records detailing the violation.

The equipment was releasing particulates at a rate of 0.49 pounds per hour; the emission limit is 0.24 pounds per hour.

3M reported the results and shut down the equipment.

Beresford said the material emitted from the stack is the same type of solid material that is processed.

“We really are talking about a small quantity of material,” Beresford said.

3M was among 38 enforcement cases completed by the Pollution Control Agency earlier this year. More than $1.1 million in penalties were assessed statewide. The penalties are issued to enforce environmental compliance.

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